handgun for a quiet backpack gun?

[sigmatero]

Question for you guys… I'm wanting a quiet backpack gun for when I go archery hunting and muzzleloading since I often see coyotes and bobcats and would love to pop them but don't want the noise. I plan to build a .338 Spectre (subsonic 300 gr SMK) that should be good out to at least 200 yards. I'll be using a suppressor. Weight, but more importantly compactness, is a concern.


I'm thinking of a Contender pistol with a 15" barrel and a scope. This will also let me use the handgun for silhouette shooting if I ever decide to try that.


I've never hunted with a handgun. How *practical* is it? I'm use to shouldering a rifle and firing. Is a handgun accurate out to 200 yards for small game or does it take a lot of practice (silhouette, etc) to get there? Or is there a practical way to rest the handgun while hunting?


Any other tips to get what I'm after? Thanks.

Joa

 

[BountyHunter]

Mike Bellm - Table of Contents

Go to this link at look at the either the standard 300 Whisper (221 Fireball or 223 case) with 125 Btip or the 300 Whisp-R (357 Max case). email Mike about the Whisp-R, he is doing a couple barrels now.

With a can I would look at the 12" barrels just for compactness. ?there is no practical difference in accuracy between the 10-15 inch.

Mike here does all the work modifying the T/Cs and top notch work.

I have done the same thing with my 10" Hornet in a backpack, only the hornet is only good for 125-150 comfortably.

You can use harris bipod or one of the folding/extendable shooting sticks and I can shoot 1.5" groups routinely at 100.

BH

 

[yotefever]

Question for you guys… I'm wanting a quiet backpack gun for when I go archery hunting and muzzleloading since I often see coyotes and bobcats and would love to pop them but don't want the noise. I plan to build a .338 Spectre (subsonic 300 gr SMK) that should be good out to at least 200 yards. I'll be using a suppressor. Weight, but more importantly compactness, is a concern.

I got my first coyote with a Contender in 6tcu, based on a 223 case.

I'm thinking of a Contender pistol with a 15" barrel and a scope. This will also let me use the handgun for silhouette shooting if I ever decide to try that.

I also use it for silhouettes which has GREATLY helped my hunting. Lots of great people and you can usually try other shooters guns to see what they are like, so you don't have to buy one first to find out what they are like to shoot.

I've never hunted with a handgun. How *practical* is it? I'm use to shouldering a rifle and firing. Is a handgun accurate out to 200 yards for small game or does it take a lot of practice (silhouette, etc) to get there? Or is there a practical way to rest the handgun while hunting?

You won't get the fast shots, at least I don't . I got my last coyote at 249 yds with my Savage Striker in 22-250 resting on a pair of 5/8 hardwood dowels set up as shooting sticks.

Any other tips to get what I'm after? Thanks.

I know this guy named Len that on his first time shooting a XP 100R in 260 shot 2 shots just outside of a 1" dot at 100 yds off a bench then took a shot sitting with shooting sticks and got that shot right in the center of the dot ;-)) I believe your shooting ability from rifles will carry over to handguns.
If you want a custom holster try Dave at QuietHide Holsters
BTW I use rifle scopes on my handguns, even my new Savage in 338/300 WSM. That's a 4.5x 14 Lupy on the Striker in the pic.

Mike

 

[yotefever]

I agree with BH too, Mike does great work. I have a 300/221 rimmed that Mike chambered and it's a real shooter.

Mike

 

[sigmatero]

Good stuff from all.

Do you find most of your handgun shots are taken standing, sitting, braced, etc?

 

[yotefever]

For coyotes I'm sitting with shooting sticks or off hand if in close, that's lots of fun.
For big game out west it's a br bi pod 6-9". But you have to remain open to using rocks or other habitat if you run into tall grass or other obstacle in the way.

 

[hammertyme]

http://i311.photobucket.com/albums/kk460/emeraldislandlover/HPIM1322.jpg

A decade ago I quit using the two gun system because of quality heavy hitting handuns available for hunting. A handgun is every bit as accurate as a rifle if one spends the time learning. With the advent of the Encore and the use of high pressure cartridges or any number of bolt action pistols there really isn't a limit on distances other than ones abilities and the cartridge choice limit.

I for one think any one of a number of subsonic calibers are adequate for 200 yard shots on varmints. Many will be good well beyond 200 yards. Prediminately all of my shots close or very long range are from a folding style bi-pod using any number of natural rests in the areas I hunt. I hunt with a external frame pack 100% of the time and depending on the situation, either lay the pack across a rock or log or stand it on end and rest the weapon across it.

Very effective.

Neal

 

[sigmatero]

Makes sense that handguns are getting more accurate all the time. And the silhouette guys seem to be pretty hooked on the sport so there's got to be something to it. And apparently it's not a fad either- when I was growing up in CDA in the 80s I use to set up steel targets at Farragut to raise money for our local Civil Air Patrol squadron. I remember thinking back then that those guys were a little odd to be using pistols for those long shots

Dad had a Contender with a bunch of barrels that I use to swap out and shoot. Boy that .222 was loud! The .44 with the shotshell attachment was great for birds. Too bad my mom gave it away...arghh, don't get me started on that one.

Can anyone point me to a source that shows accuracy vs barrel length for handguns? Is the only reason that the unlimited guys are using 15" barrels to get their speed up?

Thanks again.

 

[hammertyme]

Barrel length equals speed. Optimum length is dependant upon what is acceptable for the application. My application requires walking through a lot of big bear country to gain access to elevated country for sheep,goat and deer.
My 17" barreled 338 with 180grain Accubonds is a minimum cartridge for me. Up close and personal it will take the fight out of anything up close and personal. Hammers anything needed to 400 yards with more authority than needed. 17" 2840. 24" rifle barrel 3100fps.

160 grain T TSX at 3000fps from the 17" barrel is somewhat light for a 1200 pound bear and though it will probably do in a pich I feel more comforatble with the 180gr in a pinch.

Neal